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NEW YORK (AP) - The arrival of September was supposed to bring more clarity to the economic impact of the current credit crisis. Instead, each new bit of data coming out seems to be creating more confusion.
The first labor market contraction in four years, as revealed Friday in a weaker-than-expected jobs report, shows that the housing and mortgage collapse is putting some strain on the economy. And the continued dislocation in commercial paper markets, where companies raise cash to fund their operations, should be taken as a warning sign — in flashing red — that more bad news may be coming.
Yet plenty of good economic news still stands out. Strong August sales results from retailers and manufacturers suggest the painful credit crunch's effect on the broader U.S. economy has been limited so far.
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